Mill Pond

Austin Mill Pond is a 19-acre impoundment on the Cedar River within the town of Austin in Mower County. The pond was created in 1918 by the construction of a 23-foot concrete dam. Poor water quality and limited habitat are a result of dissolved sediments and nutrients transported into the impoundment by the river. The primary management species are Black Crappie and Bluegill and the secondary species are Walleye and Channel Catfish. There are currently no stocking plans. Recently, Austin Mill Pond was designated as a Tier-3 and will be surveyed only as needed and not as part of a regularly scheduled monitoring program. A targeted survey was completed the week of August 30, 2018 using 36 minutes of boat electrofishing to assess the current state of the fishery and to guide future management of the Cedar River system. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e. spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which samples a wider range of fish species during the summer months using standard methods (i.e. standard time of year, set sampling stations, taking water clarity readings and oxygen/temperature profiles, etc.) and gears (i.e. lake survey gillnets, trap nets, and spring electrofishing for Largemouth Bass). Results from this targeted survey should not be compared to results from standard surveys. Game fish that were observed and judged to be large enough to be sampled with ¾" net mesh were netted, identified, and measured. Other species seen were identified and classified as either abundant, common, or rare. Six species of game fish were sampled. Bluegills were the most common with a total of 18 for a catch rate of 30.0/hour on-time. Lengths ranged from 2.9 to 9.3 inches with an average of 4.6 inches. Just 4 fish were larger than 6.0 inches. Northern Pike were sampled at a rate of 15.0/hour and Rock Bass were sampled at a rate of 13.3/hour. Most of the Northern Pike were small with an average of just 12.7 inches and a maximum of 21.7 inches. Rock Bass ranged from 3.5 to 8.4 inches. A total of 6 Largemouth Bass ranging from 4.7 to 16.1 inches were sampled at a rate of 10.0/hour. Four were larger than 15 inches. Six Yellow Perch were sampled for a catch rate of 10.0/hour. Other than one 10.9-inch fish, all were less than 4 inches in length. Green Sunfish and hybrid sunfish were also sampled at low numbers. Other observations included abundant young of the year Largemouth Bass; common young of the year Bluegill, young of the year Northern Pike, young of the year Yellow Perch, Common Carp, Golden Redhorse, and White Sucker; and rare Black Bullhead, Blackside Darter, Bluntnose Minnow, Common Shiner, Golden Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Johnny Darter. Overall the fish community was a mix of river and lake species and most closely resembles a Largemouth Bass-Panfish lake with additional opportunities for Northern Pike and Yellow Perch.

Austin Mill Pond is a small 19.0 acre impoundment located on the Cedar River which runs through the Town of Austin in Mower County. There is a MNDNR owned concrete public access located on the north end of the impoundment. Austin Mill pond provides ample shore angling opportunity as there is a fishing pier located on the south side of the impoundment and a walking trail on the north side of the impoundment. Austin Mill pond has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The water was clear during the assessment and had a secchi depth reading of 4.0 feet. A dissolved oxygen profile was taken and ranged from 9.4 ppm at the surface to 8.6 ppm at 8.0 feet. The sport fish community consists of northern pike, channel catfish, black crappie, and bluegill. Walleye fingerlings and adults were stocked in 2007, but stocking is currently not being used as a management option. A population assessment was conducted on 8-13-2012 to monitor the fish community in Austin Mill Pond using 1 gill net and 6 trap nets. Bluegill and black crappie are the primary management species at Austin Mill Pond. Black crappie abundance was low as indicated by a catch rate of 2.0/trap net, which is below average when compared to similar lakes. Black crappie abundance has steadily declined since the 1992 survey decreasing from 24.1, to 14.7, to 4.8, to 2.0/trap net in 1992, 1998, 2007, and 2012, respectively. Black crappies ranged in length from 4.5 to 9.1 inches and averaged 8.0 inches. Bluegill abundance was also low (6.0/trap net) in 2012, which is below average when compared to similar lakes. The 2012 bluegill catch rate was consistent with historical catch rates which have been between 2.1 and 7.8/trap net. The bluegills were small, with 83% being less than 5.0 inches long. The largest bluegill captured was 8.5 inches long. Northern pike were captured at a rate of 4/gill net which is low compared to similar lakes, but was the highest catch rate of pike observed on this water body. Northern pike ranged in length from 15.5 to 22.6 inches and averaged 19.2 inches. Two channel catfish were captured in the gill net (2.0/gill net) and were 21.2 and 22.6 inches in length. White sucker, yellow perch, shorthead redhorse, black bullhead, pumpkinseed, rock bass, and yellow bullhead were also captured but occurred in low abundance.

A lake survey was conducted on Mill Pond in mid - June 2007 to assess the fish community and aquatic habitat. Mill Pond is a small (19 acre) pond located in Austin. This fish population has a riverine influence and is dominated by black crappie, bluegill, rock bass, punpkinseed and white sucker. Panfish are small with black crappie running 5 - 7.5 inches. Bluegill averaged 7.8 per trapnet, which is below average abundance for this lake class, and were 4 - 7 inches. Pumpkinseed averaged 9.3 per trap net and are 3.5 - 6.5 inches. Walleye were first stocked in 2006 and averaged 2 per gillnet and were 14 inches.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Hybrid Sunfish, White Crappie, and Rock Bass in Mill Pond. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Mill Pond. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Mill Pond has a maximum depth of 17 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Mill Pond is from 2018. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

No invasive species are on record for Mill Pond in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.